Automatic control system for tabulators



Jan. 8, 1935. c 3 E 5 AL 1,987,343

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS Filed NOV. 25. 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet, l

1 L51 9 4a w 1L I ATTORNEY- Jan. 8, 1935. c. D. LAKE ET AL AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS Filed Nov. 25, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY- Jan. 8, 1935. c. D. LAKE ET AL AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATORS Filed Nov. 25, 1931 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 FIGS.

| ATTERNEY- Patented s, 1935 1,987,343

AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEM FOR TABULATOBS Clair D. Lake, Binghamton, and Gunne Lowkranta, Endicott, N. Y., asslgnors, by means assignments, to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application m as, 1931. Serial No. 511,244 1 Claim. (cl. ass-9e) The invention relates to .accounting machines and more particularly to automatic control systerm for record controlled tabulators.

Record .controlled tabulators are designed to add. list and print totals of items automatically entered in the machine from control records on which the items are represented by index point perforations located in differential positions in the several card columns. each column ordinarily representing one character which may be either a number or a letter.

The cards are fed through the inachineauto-v matically and analyzed by suitable mechanism which in turn controls the accumulating and printing devices of the machine so that the data represented by the perforations in the card may be accumulated and printed.

The controlling records are usually divided into groups representing diilerent classifications, the group classification being represented in each card by similarly located perforations and it is desirable to continue the automatic feeding of the records to the analyzing mechanism as long as the group classification does not change but to interrupt the card feed for the purpose of taking totals or performing other operations when the group changes. This is ordinarily accomplished by providing two sets of brushes which are spaced apart so that one card feeds to one of them as the preceding card feeds to the other so that the same index point positions on successive cards are under the two analyzing mechanisms simultaneously.

Tabulators which analyze and control with the records in motion are ordinarily of the electrical type and the analyzing mechanism consists of brushes cooperating with individual contacts. The cards are fed between the brushes and their cooperating contacts to hold an electric circuit open as long as there are no perforations in the card but to permit engagement of each brush with its cooperating contact through the card when it encounters a perforation on the card.

In machines of the moving card type a single row of brushes usually suiilces to completely analyze each card, these brushes of course, searching the several index point positions at ditlerential times and differentially controlling the adding and printing mechanism to enter items therein according to the differential time at which the circuit ismade at the analyzing brushes. The automatic control system may consist of a circuit including the two sets of analyzing brushes in series and if the cards under the two sets of brushes contain identical controlling perforations this circuit will be closed at some time in the machine cycle serving to keep the card feed active to feed another card during the succeeding card feeding cycle. If the controlling perforations are not identical in successive cards, this series circuit fails to make and the machine either stops or automatically takes a total of the data entered into the accumulators.

The present invention contemplates a system of automatic control which is,entirely electrical in its operation and may if desired be entirely dissociated from the mechanical operations of the machine. The control circuit which determines whether or not the machine shall feed cards during the successive card feeding cycle is controlled from a series of magnets, a single magnet being provided for each controlling card column which is wired in series between each of the analyzing brushes for a given card column. These magnets cooperate with their respective'armatures which serve to control the contacts in the control circuit and also control other contacts which complete holding circuits through a second winding on each magnet. The several holding circuits are directed through a common line which when interrupted at a predetermined point in the machine cycle will release all of the circuits at once.

A modified form of the invention contemplates a third winding on the magnet through which the flow of current is directed in a reverse direction to that through the initial energizing winding and the holding circuit winding. This third winding is utilized to aiiect an exceedingly rapid release of the holding circuits where the time interval between the restoration of the control contacts and their subsequent setting-up under control of the record cards is very short, so that neither the former mechanical restoration of the control contacts nor the release of the holding circuits due to opening their common line will take place in the required time.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved automatic control device for record controlled accounting machines.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of an automatic control device of sim- In the drawings:

Pig. iisadiagrammaticshowingofthecard feeding devices and the automatic control circuits.

Pig. 2 is a detail of an automatic control magnet and associated contacts.

Pig. 3 is an end view of Pig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a modified form of automatic control circuit.

Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram of the electric circuits of a complete tabulating machine including the improved automatic control circuits.

While as stated above the system is applicable to existing machines operating either on stationary or moving cards and in connection with single or combinational systems it has been shown asappliedtoamachineof thetypeinwbicha single index point only is perforated in the card columnandinwhichcardsareadaptedtobe analyzed while in motion. The particular type of machine does not enter into the present invention as any other form of machine in which single or combinational hole cards are analysed while at rest or in motion would serve the purpose of explanation and embodiment equally as well.

Referring now tothedrawings. astackof cards to be analyzed is indicated at 10 (Pig. 1) which are adapted to be advanced by a picker ll operatai by an arm 12 into cooperative relationship with pairs of feeding rolla 13. The picker feeds One card at a time to the rolls 13 which advance itduringonemachinecycletotheupperorcontrolanalyzingbrushesUB andduringalatermachine cycle to the lower or adding analyzing brushesLB. Therollsandfeedmcchanismare driven from a shaft 14 rotated by the tabulating motor TM (shown in Fig. 5) and a gear train indicated enerally by 15. The usual form of card feed clutch controlled by a clutch magnet 16' is interposed in the system to effect card feed onlyatgiventimesasiscustornaryin machines of this nature. Current to the tabulating motor TM for feeding cards is supplied from a suitable source 17 (Pig. 5) which when closed, supplies current to the left side of line 18 and right side of line 19. The tabulating motor TM is started in operation by depressing the start key 20. Current then nows through the motor TM, a relay 21,

card feeding clutch magnet 16, motor relay 22,

start key 20, relay contacts 23, now closed, emergency stop key 24 now closed, thence through upper cam contacts P3 now closed, to the outer side of the line 19.

The above has energised the clutch magnet is and engaged the customary one revolution clutch thereby starting cards feeding through the machine. The operation of the circuits Just explained is the same as in Patent No. 1,762,145, issued to G. 1". Daly and R. E. Page, June 10, 1930.

After the initiation of the cycle by the start -key 20, motor relay 22 attracts its armature and establishes a stick circuit to keep the tabulator motor in operation. From the relay points 224 a line extends to the usual upper card lever contacts UCL and another line extends to earn contacts T1. T1 is also connected to cam contacts L6. After the tabulator motor has operated to a certain amount T1 closes establishing a circuit to upper contact P3. As soon as the upper card lever contacts UCL have closed another holding circuit is established from these contacts to contacts 234, stop key 24, to line 19. The card lever contacts UCL maintain the operation of the tabulator provided a relay 23 which controls contacts 23o remains energised. If either 23a, UCL or 24 are opened the tabulator will be stopped at mamas the end of the cycle when cam contacts T1 open, the operation being continued up to that time.

As in previous machines, prior to starting up any tabulator operation a resetting cycle is carried out. On a resetting operation such as one manually initiated before starting the tabulator, lower cam contacts P3 make establishing a circuit 25 to control relays 26 and 23 thereby energising these relays. This circuit is traceable from line 19, lower contacts P31, wire 25, magnets 26, 23, to line 13. After control relay 26 is energized a stick circuit is established through the relay armature 26a, cam contacts C1 and by wire 27 back to line 19. Cam contacts Cl break once per card cycle, but during the time that these contacts break there is a second holding circuit through the armature 26a of relay 26 and through a control circuit 28 and back by wire 27 to line 19. This circuit is maintained until card groups change and is traceable in detail as follows: from line 18, magnets 23, 26, contacts 264:, left hand wire 28, serially through contacts 29, right hand wire 26, wire 27 to line 19. Following the breaking of circuit 28 due to a group number change the tabulator motor is maintained in-operation until cam contacts C1 open whereupon control relays 26 and 23 are deenergized and the tabulator is stopped as previously described. The operation of the machine thus far is the same as disclosed in the Daly patent referred to above.

The automatic control circuit 26 includes a plurality of contacts 29 any number of which may be connected in series to control from any desired card columns. These contacts are normally open and are adapted to be closed upon energisation of magnets 30 (Figs. 2 and 3). Contacis 29 and magnet 30 are both carried by a supporting bracket 31 upon which is also pivoted magnet armature 32. Armature retaining clip 33 is mounted on bracket 31. Armature 32 carries a block 34 upon which rests a pin 35 secured in the lower blade of contact 29. A second pin 36 in the lower blade of a contact 37 also cooperates with block 34. Rocking of armature 32 in a counterclockwise direction will cause concurrent closure of both contacts 29 and 3'1. One unit comprising magnet 30 and contacts 29 and 37 is provided for each column from which it is desired to control the operation of the machine. The several supports 31 may be mounted within the machine itself or they may be separated therefrom as desired.

Referring now to Fig. 1, magnet 30 is provided with windings 36 and 39, the former having both its terminals connected to plug board 40 and through suitable plug connections 41 may be wiredin seriesbetweenanupperbrushUBanda lower brush LB in the well known manner. As the record cards pass through the machine the occurrence of corresponding perforations in the cards \mder the upper and lower brushes will complete the circuit through winding '38 at a time in the operation of the machine depending upon the location of the perforations. Energization of winding 38 actuates magnet armature 32 to close contacts 29 and 37. Closure of contact 37 will complete a. circuit from line 18, normally closed contact 42, wire 43, contact 37, winding 39, resistan'ce 44. wire 45 to opposite side of line 19. Current flowing through winding 39 will be in the same direction as through magnet 38 and will serve to keep the magnet energized through the holding circuit traced. In this manner the several contacts 29 in the various control positions will be closed at various times depending w mmwwmmmwm mwm m mm Mum WM W w mmmmmmmmmmmm mmmw mmm WWWMW MMMM mum m m m w m M WNW am m mm Wwm m m mm ma M m m um m mmmmmm m tmfi & ma mm m M W m m m PM WWW m mm? E M fi mmmm K fi mm wmmmm mmmmmmmmm mmw mwmwww 5 3 w 2. M fiat m MMMMWM M mm mmm wm w m m mfi W m mwmmwmmmmm mwmwmmmmwmmm wmmmmmmm u m m u m m M m m m W mm mmmm mmm m mm wmw mm m m m mm m mmmmwmwmmmmw "m mmm mwmmmmmmmm mm m mmmmmuwmmwm m wmmmm mmwm 

